Title page for ETD etd-04132005-085105

Are Murders Equal in the Eyes of the Media? A Study of Race, Gender, Class and Quality of Coverage

Degree

Master of Mass Communication (M.M.C.)

Department

Mass Communication

Advisory Committee

Advisor Name

Title

Timothy Cook

Committee Chair

Eileen Meehan

Committee Member

Judith Sylvester

Committee Member

Keywords

content analysis

information subsidies

race and media

Date of Defense

2005-03-18

Availability

unrestricted

Abstract

Crime news is an important component of local news. A literature review suggested that the media’s coverage of crime news can reveal vital information about media routines and biases. The main issue in this study is race and the media. The subtext of crime news and how the media cover different races when dealing with crime can speak to the larger issues of race and the media. The primary focus of this study was to examine how the media cover victims of murder, but more specifically to investigate any differences that may exist in how they cover White and Black victims. The study also looked for differences in coverage according to gender and social class. A content analysis looked at articles about homicide victims from The Advocate. Interviews with reporters were conducted to determine how these reporters approach and cover murders. Interviews with police media relations officers revealed how these officers disseminate information.

This study concluded that the media give White murder victims more prominent coverage than Black victims and female victims better coverage than male victims. The content analysis demonstrates that those who are most likely to be victimized, Black males, receive the least prominent coverage.